thieves_; _Trusty Roger_ and the man that should have been arrested, hearing this cry, took weapons in their hands, and out of doors they came, where _Roger_ soon perceiving how the business went _ah you Rogues_ (said he) _doe you come to rob my Master_? and thereupon laid so nimbly about him, being seconded by the other, that the Bailiffs were glad to let us go to defend themselves. Whilest they were thus busied in pelting each other, we slipped away with our prize, and to take a full revenge of those Catch-poles, raised several of the neighbors, whom we sent to the apprehending of the Bayliffs, whilest we marched away in safety; what became of them afterwards I doe not know, onely this I tell thee, to let thee see that there is not any danger whatsoever so great, but by wit and cunningness may be avoided. This story I heard with great attention which so wrought upon my mind that I thought my self no less than a second _Robin Hood_ or little _John_, and thereupon resolved to put in speedy execution my fathers dictates which yet proved very unfortunate to me, as you will finde by that which follows. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ ---------------------------------------------------------------- CHAP. V. _His robbing of Orchards, how he was cachett by a Night-spell; the extremity their family was brought unto, and how to relieve it, he robbed a Grocer._ My mind being thus fully fixt to follow thieving, I began my trade in robbing of Orchards, returning home with laden thighs, the trophies, and spoils of Cherry-trees, Pear-trees, and Plum-trees. My mother instead of correcting me for what I had done, encouraged me to proceed on as I had begun; for indeed hunger had pinched us sorely ever since my brothers death, my fathers credit being so eclipsed thereby, that until people saw he would mend his life, scarce any one would employ him to mend their shoes. One Orchard I especially haunted it being stor’d with most gallant fruit, whose very looks me thought did cry, _Come eat me_: but so often I frequented the same, especially one tree of more choice fruit than all the rest, that the owner of the Orchard (being a rich miserable chuff, and one who knew on which side his bread was butter’d) began to mistrust the same, and therefore that his apples might not depart away without first taking leave of him, he resolved for the future to prevent the same, and having some little skill in negromancy, against my next coming he inchanted his Orchard with a Night-spel.